


Shackles

by Astoria00



Series: Fractures [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Drama, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Manipulation, Hurt, possible vol 7/8 scenario
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 10:16:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18118790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astoria00/pseuds/Astoria00
Summary: "Salem!"The accusation in her voice just caused Salem to raise her eyebrow in amusement.Cinder didn't know whether she should be annoyed that she seemed to be ignored by this twerp, but then again, this tended to happen when in the presence of her master."Ruby Rose", she answered almost charitably, while stepping closer to the girl, Cinder following behind her, "I don't believe we had the pleasure yet."Sequel to Fractures





	Shackles

The first thing Cinder felt when she finally came to was a nagging pain in her back. Disoriented, she rolled on her side, trying to reach for the source of her discomfort by letting her right hand roam over her back. Something about this felt oddly familiar to her.  
She froze when her hand brushed the rough cloth of bandages around her midsection.

'What...?'

And just like that, everything came rushing back to her.  
Emerald, Tyrian, the relic, Neo...the betrayal...the pain...a bright light...  
She had been drowning...hadn't she?  
Where was she?  
Had she been captured?  
Cinder's head pounded painfully, as an uncomfortable cold spread through her body.  
Gritting her teeth, she sat up completely, her eye immediately scanning her surroundings.  
She appeared to be...home?  
Her new clothes hang over a chair, sitting in front of her desk, just like she had left it before departing for her mission, purple light illuminating the room, tinting it almost red, giving her cape an ominous aura.

'I'm really back!'

Which meant, she would have to face the punishment for her failure at Haven...and she didn't even have anything to present to make up for this fact...  
But instead of fearful, she felt exhausted. It was fairly strange...as if she didn't even care anymore.

'What's the point...?'

"I am glad to see you have awakened sooner than I anticipated."

Cinder hadn't even heard her come in, even though she was normally so attuned to Salem's steps that echoed through the hall whenever she made her way somewhere.  
Stepping away from the doorway, the master of Grimm walked towards her, sitting on the edge of the maiden's bed, her voice having been surprisingly soft.  
So soft in fact that Cinder felt compelled to peer up at her, a worried expression her face.

"I..."

She hesitated. Just how could she explain what had happened?  
All of this...was her fault...and Salem didn't deal well with failure.  
...which made her next words even more peculiar to her.

"You have done well, Cinder, even with the odds stacked against you."

A pale hand reached out to her and pulled a strand of hair behind her ear, puzzling Cinder even more.

"You have more than redeemed yourself to me."

She had?  
How?  
Not that she wasn't thankful for the almost caring and gentle touch that helped anchoring her to the here and now, but...what exactly did she do to deserve this praise?  
Cold still swirled inside her as she battled her tumultuous thoughts, trying to sort them.

"My subordinates...they-"

"Are of no concern to you any longer!"

The sudden edge that had crept into Salem's tone made Cinder almost flinch.  
There had never been a time where she feared a physical punishment. Not like the ones she had witnessed Hazel to endure.   
No, Salem would never dare lay a hand on her...not that she had to, her words alone carried far more weight than corporal punishments ever could.

"Do you think I am not aware of what transpired in Atlas?  
Or how they betrayed your trust?"

This time Cinder wasn't able to stop from flinching slightly.  
She really didn't want to be reminded of them...  
Swallowing harshly, she tried to rid herself of the pictures threatening to resurface again.  
The sorrow in Neo's eyes, the shock and anger in Mercury's...Emerald's-  
No!  
She could feel the cold spread again, as she stomped the memories down, stemming with all her might against this overly persistent emotion, this pull that seemed to want to drag her under the surface again.  
Gritting her teeth in mild frustration she looked at Salem uneasily.

"I don't understand...  
What I remember just...doesn't make sense. There was this light...but this time it didn't burn me alive. It's as if..."

She trailed off, searching for the right words, her expression clouding with confusion.

"As if it came from...me?"

Something akin to satisfaction seemed to flash through Salem's eyes at her words, as she brushed Cinder's hair one last time before she stood up again, so the maiden was forced to raise her head a bit more.

"You truly don't recall it?", she asked, looking down at the dark haired girl with a mysterious smile.  
"And here I thought the occurrence of you using your inherent powers for the first time would be something that would be edged into your mind."

'First...time...'

The words sparked some sort of bewilderment in her. Something just...didn't sound right about this, but she decided to pay it no mind, seeing as she still felt herself almost on the brink of slipping...of being completely swallowed by this cold inside her.

"My inherent powers?  
The ones you always promised I would have when the time is right?"

Was that how it would feel using them from now on?  
Like drowning?  
If Cinder was honest to herself she dreaded the answer, hell she dreaded the direction this whole conversation was going, as she watched Salem sweep through her room, grasping her cape from the chair, mustering it with mild curiosity.  
If the maiden had the opportunity she might had reacted to that with a mild dose of embarrassment, but Salem's attention was already back on her, her mysterious smile still in place.

"That's right.  
Your natural affinity to the creatures of Grimm, the easiness by which you were able to absorb and control them. All of this hinting at your gift.  
The power of destruction!"

She sure seemed proud of that...for some reason, but Cinder couldn't help but feel awed and repulsed alike. This...just was so different from anything the maiden powers had been.  
She wanted to be powerful, but what joy would it bring her if she was permanently feeling...horrible?  
Some of her thoughts must have shown on her face, because Salem's gaze became more probing...more calculating, as she made her way back to Cinder's side once more, motioning for her to rise.

"Come now, Cinder.  
Despite your past transgressions I do have a...reward waiting for you."

'A reward?'

The wound on her back throbbed painfully, as if to remind her it was still very much there, as Cinder hobbled out of bed and got dressed, looking somewhat displeased at the torn backside of her cape. But if she interpreted Salem's words correctly she would probably be better off without it for now...  
It really felt like the Fall of Beacon all over again.

###### 

Cinder wasn't sure what to expect as a so called reward, so when she entered the training hall together with Salem she was speechless. This was truly something she hadn't seen coming. Ruby Rose, that obnoxious girl with her damned magic eyes, was tied to the wall. A heavy chain, probably infused with dust, connected it with the sturdy chocker around the girl's neck, Salem's crest glowing tauntingly on it rendering her tugging and pulling at it utterly useless.  
That wasn't to say that she didn't try, to the contrary. Ruby's newest idea apparently consisted of using part of the chain as a weapon, hitting it against the wall repeatedly, only stopping when she spotted both of them entering.  
Dropping the chain to the ground, she faced them with a glare.

"Salem!"

The accusation in her voice just caused Salem to raise her eyebrow in amusement.  
Cinder didn't know whether she should be annoyed that she seemed to be ignored by this twerp, but then again, this tended to happen when in the presence of her master.

"Ruby Rose", she answered almost charitably, while stepping closer to the girl, Cinder following behind her, "I don't believe we had the pleasure yet."

Ruby's eyes landed on Cinder, her expression growing somewhat troubled, before she refocused her attention on Salem.

"Why are you doing this?"  
Her voice rising slightly.  
"What did humanity ever do to you?"

"Do not be mistaken, my feud is not with mankind", responded Salem calmly, the amusement still very clear in her voice, much to Cinder's bewilderment, as she strode even closer to the girl, casually picking up the chain, causing it to light up shortly.  
"Or are you insinuating you know my true intentions?"

It sounded almost challenging to the maiden's ears and the girl must have picked up on that as well, as she immediately retorted:

"Yes! I saw it!  
Your plan for mankind...  
For Ozma...  
For Cinder..."

'For...me?'

That reminded her...hadn't Ruby used the relic of Knowledge?  
Wasn't that what Emer-  
She forced herself to stop thinking about it any further.  
Nothing good would come from this. Fact was, she trusted Salem more than Ruby.  
The coldness began to creep up on her once more and Cinder desperately tried to focus her attention on her master, feeling... kind of lost.  
Salem on the other hand didn't seem to care too much about her maiden's inner struggle, letting her thumb run along the chain in her hand, never once losing her smile.

"If you choose to believe in what a being that was created by one of the gods has shown you, I cannot stop you, but keep in mind that they are fallible.  
Your words just now are proof enough."  
Letting the metal in her hand fall to the ground with a dull clang, she turned on her heels and walked back to the other side of the training hall.  
"But we have not come here for me to be interrogated by you."

"Then why are you here?", Ruby asked slightly unnerved by her behavior,  
"Why am I here?"

But Salem ignored her, instead turning to Cinder, who was still watching both of them wordlessly.

"I promised you a reward, did I not?"

The maiden knew better than to question her and nodded obediently, but couldn't help getting somewhat wary. She really had a bad feeling about this.  
Salem motioned to the chained girl amicably, while giving her a small smile.

"Well this is it.  
I might have forbidden you from taking your just vengeance on her, but you see, there is a more clever use for a case such as hers."

She paused shortly to throw Ruby an unfathomable look over her shoulder before turning back to Cinder.

"She will help you master your new powers by training with you."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut.

If you wish to master your new powers...

No, this wasn't like last year!  
She could do this.  
Hadn't she wanted to fight this little pest for so long?  
Dreamed about burning her to a crisp?  
So this was totally fine.

'But you're still afraid of her.'

Her shock and mild horror must have shown on her face, as Salem's smile grew steely.

"Starting now!"

Now?  
Cinder hesitated, as panic began to rise inside her, mingling with the cold still swirling through her body, her breath hitching almost unnoticeable...  
Almost.

"Cinder!"

The maiden swallowed. She recognized that stern tone, the light warning behind it. There would be no second one.  
Forcing herself to nod, she managed to regain control over her limbs and walked into the red circle on the ground, facing the girl of her nightmares with a, what she hoped, unreadable expression. She knew she was way too tense to actually fight right now, but one did not say no to Salem.  
Ruby on the other hand regarded her just as warily.

"You don't have to do this."

Was she pleading with her right now?  
With a lot of effort Cinder was able to bring herself to smirk at the girl, summoning her sword while throwing a quick, last glance back to Salem for affirmation.  
Being watched by her master always tended to make her nervous.  
Her reaction must have confused Ruby quite a bit, as she grew from guarded to curious in a matter of seconds, souring Cinder's mood even more.

"No...but I want to!"

The girl deflated a bit at that, but kept her defiant stand.

"I'm not fighting you", she said vigorously, as she backed away against the wall.

Such audacity really.  
If it were up to Cinder she would have gotten rid of that impertinent girl immediately after obtaining the relic from her, but Salem had other plans...obviously.  
Sure enough, she even seemed somewhat entertained by Ruby's statement, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

"Is that so?", she asked with something akin to mirth in her tone, rasing her hand, causing a real smirk to spread over Cinder's face.  
She knew that gesture all too well.  
"It would seem I failed to give you a compelling enough incentive.  
Let me rectify this oversight."

Her crimson eyes began to glow, as dark energy surrounded her, springing to life at her command. Slowly the energy separated itself from her, moving to the middle of the hall, its shape twisting and swirling, as it was being shaped.  
For someone who had never seen Salem manipulate dark matter before, this scene might have been horrifying, and true enough, Ruby did appear slightly ill, as the shadowy Beowolf Grimm took form, emitting a deep growl.  
The chained girl's expression morphed from horror to shock, as realization dawned on her, much to Salem's satisfaction.

"Please don't be mistaken", the master of Grimm added, as her creations started charging towards Ruby menacingly, "You are still of use to me dead."

The cruel smile spreading over her face was enough to send shivers down Cinder's spine, even though it wasn't directed at her.

"So...what is it going to be?"

"But I don't have a weapon!"

The panic in the girl's voice was almost palpable, her eyes wide with fear, her focus now lying solely on the Grimm out for her life, missing the eye roll Salem gave her altogether.

"Don't be absurd! Either use your eyes or perish.  
The choice is yours."

'Her eyes?!'

With these words, Salem raised her hands once more, causing the symbol on the ground to glow ominously, forcing Ruby away from the wall she had backed into.  
The three Beowolfs were directly in front of her now, ready to launch an attack at every second if their master cared to give that order.  
The girl's eyes met Cinder's, before she sighed and closed them in resignation.  
That's when Cinder realized with shocking clarity that Salem's words applied to her as well.  
Either she used these new powers of hers...or she would die!  
She balled her hands into fists, as she struggled to stop her heart from speeding up.  
She couldn't die now.  
She wouldn't!  
She had sacrificed too much to let it end here!  
The cold was still there, right underneath the surface, ready to pull her down to its icy depths if she let it, but...

'So cold'

She utterly despised this feeling.  
Why couldn't she just end Ruby the normal way?  
With her maiden powers, or her sword perhaps?  
But she didn't even need to turn to Salem again to know she wouldn't get her wish. Not when she was so hell bent on training her new abilities.  
Would she even interfere if she couldn't get the hang of them in time?

'Of course...'

Somehow the nagging doubts made her uneasy...maybe she was afraid of the answer?

'No!'

That wasn't true!  
She didn't need assistance from anyone.  
She wasn't afraid.

'I don't need them!'

We don't need him...

Red, annoyed eyes swam before her vision, belonging to the pouting girl in front of her that had dared to question her decisions. She remembered that scene vividly. How annoyance had yielded to hurt and confusion once a hand had struck her, reminding her of her place and yet...the light had always returned to her eyes.

I don't care about Salem, but I owe Cinder everything!

**'STOP!'**

Just like that Cinder felt reality crack, slipping away from her in an all too familiar manner.  
It hurt!  
Why did it hurt so much?  
The cold around her pressed painfully against her lungs, almost constricting them completely.  
She knew what she had to do next...it was just...

'I...don't...want...   
Make it stop!'

Cinder's breath hitched.  
Gritting her teeth she tried to concentrate on the here and now, when a sudden twitch from her left arm caused her alarm to spike.  
Out of her blurry vision she could spot a silver light, so bright it almost appeared colorless.  
Panic seized her heart.  
She knew that light!  
It haunted her in her dreams even to this day.  
The way it burned, the heat, the pain...  
Not again!  
She refused to die!  
In fact, she would make sure that no one would ever even come close to hurt her like this again!

The cold had a grip on her now, yanking at her, causing an icy fire to flame up inside her, as it invaded all of her senses.  
She was sinking again and she couldn't stop it, the water so freezingly sharp it became almost numbing with every breath she took.  
It was hard to stay rooted in reality, when a frightening power cursed through her, rising to meet the accursed silver light of Ruby's.  
The Maiden didn't know what happened next. She felt more than she saw the two lights clashing with each other, the shockwave making her loose her footing for a bit, as she stumbled backwards.  
She couldn't afford to look away though. Who knew what would happen if she even blinked once? 

When she felt the surge of power ebb away she knew it was finally over.   
The light toned down, causing black dots to appear in front of Cinder's eye, as it adjusted to the dimmer interior again.  
The Grimm were gone, evaporated, as if they had never existed in the first place.  
Looking over at Ruby she caught the red glow around them out of the corner of her eye, seemingly originating from the circle on the ground. Apparently Salem had wanted to be prepared.   
She tried her best not to appear too shaken up in front of the chained girl, but the truth was she felt horrible, the cold still lingering in her system, lurking around, waiting to be called upon again.  
Ruby on the other hand just looked mildly exhausted, her serious expression giving way to something akin to...pity?, as she focused on Cinder, asking hesitantly:

"Are...are you okay?"

'Huh?'

Cinder furrowed her brow, the action causing her to realize that a few tears seemed to have escaped her eye, leaving a hot trail on her skin. A stark contrast to the numbing cold she could still feel in her bones, as they ran down her cheek. Tightening the grip around her sword she glared at Ruby, ignoring her question, as she wiped them away fiercely.  
This was beyond embarrassing...it was mortifying.  
Before the chained girl could press a bit more, Salem stepped into the circle, the glow diminishing, as she made her way to Cinder.

"Cinder is...a survivor you might say, I wouldn't worry", she answered the question without taking her eyes from the maiden.   
Coming to a halt before her, the dark haired girl looked up uncomfortably.  
"Well done, my child."  
If Cinder didn't know better she almost would have expected her to pat her head...not that she would have wanted this, but maybe it would have helped with calming down her racing heart a bit.  
"Now, remember that feeling and call forth your power before our dear prisoner can-"

"You want us to go again?", interrupted Ruby angrily,  
"Can't you see what it's doing to her?"

Salem turned around at this outburst almost surprised the girl dared to speak up again.

"And yet, you have done far worse to her", she answered with a small sigh, probably recalling the time and effort she had to invest in Cinder's recovery after the Fall of Beacon,  
"You can't tell me you haven't noticed her physical state."

"What do you...?", the young Huntress trailed off, paling considerably, as she seemingly connected the dots, her eyes widening in shock.

Salem glided through the hall, fixing Ruby with a calculating look, but the girl still didn't back away. She stood her ground, her face darkening, even as the master of Grimm continued to belittle her.

"Do you realize it now?  
The power you've been gifted with?  
One that you seem to fail-"

" **Stop it!** ", Ruby all but yelled with pent up frustration, taking a step forward, driving the difference in height between her and Salem even more to the forefront,  
"Just...how could you...?  
Why make us fight like this?  
Did you want me to kill Cinder?"

With every question she fired, she took another step forward, as her voice echoed through the hall. Cinder might have found the way the girl glared at her master hilarious under normal circumstances, but the only thing that registered with her was that outrageous claim that Ruby would be able to kill her, that Salem wanted her gone.

'Salem...needs me...right?'

She scoffed. Her heartbeat, while still pretty fast, wasn't continuously pounding as hard against her ribcage anymore. If nothing else, Ruby facing off against her master had given her some sort of break she desperately needed  
Salem's patience seemed to have finally run thin, as she crossed her arms, her face darkening with something Cinder could only describe as annoyance.

"You appear to have selective hearing. I told you Cinder was fine and you make it sound as if I wronged her in some way...but very well."  
With that, she turned her head to the maiden, mustering her appraisingly.  
"Do you wish to stop?"

'Yes...'

Cinder bit her tongue to keep that small traitorous word from escaping. As tired and miserable as she was right now, she couldn't help but bristle at Ruby's attempt to make her look weak and frail in front of her master.  
She instinctively straightened her back, facing the chained girl with a sneer.

"No.  
I guess our dear Ruby here is not used to seriously practicing and it shows."

Raising her sword she melted it with a smirk, reforming it into a spear.

"How does it feel to have lost the only hope you and your friends had of ever defeating me?

Giving the spear a short twirl she melted and changed the form of her weapon again, this time into a dagger to further articulate her point. Using her maiden abilities felt so much better than her supposed power of destruction.   
The way the girl flinched at her words was more than satisfying for her, but it didn't take long for her expression to morph from shock to hurt and sadness to pity again.  
This was infuriating.  
Why wasn't she reacting like a normal person?  
Like that idiot with a death wish for example.  
Instead she got this almost condescending look.  
Ruby clenched her hands into fists and ripped her gaze away from hers, facing Salem once more, as she shook her head for emphasis.

"I won't continue this.  
I don't care if that means I'm dying.   
You will not make me a murderer!"

'Seriously?'

Just how entitled could this girl be?

'The nerve of her!'

"Shut up!", she snarled at her, throwing the dagger in her hand with all her might.

It sailed straight to Ruby's head, missing her by only a few millimeters, but cutting the soft skin of her cheek nevertheless.  
Stunned, the girl froze for a second before regaining her glare, never breaking her stance against Salem, which only furthered the rage Cinder could feel boiling inside her.  
How dare she ignore her?  
The burning anger was a welcome surprise really.  
It felt more familiar...more endurable.  
She wanted to latch onto it, to stoke the flames by making Ruby react to her, but Salem's outstretched arm held her back, much to her chagrin.

"It appears we are at an impasse then."

Her tone was soft...too soft. Cinder shuddered inwardly. They had officially entered dangerous territory.  
Salem sighed and began to circle the girl, whose eyes were trained on her, following her every move, as she let her fingers run along the wall once she reached it, seizing the chain, tugging on it lightly, causing Ruby to stumble backwards. 

"But if you insist, I am sure we will find another method for Cinder to gain control of her powers.  
Perhaps it would be a far more authentic experience if she tests them against those pesky Huntsmen and Huntresses gallivanting around in Remnant."

The maiden had never seen someone lose color so quickly in her life.  
Ruby looked positively sick now.  
And it only got worse when Salem swept even closer to her, this time outright pulling on the chain in her pale hand, dragging her on her knees, the girl grimacing slightly, as she tried to alleviate the pressure on her neck.

"What is your opinion on that I wonder?  
Will this make you a murderer as well?"

She chuckled once more, letting the chain slip from her grasp, as the tension seemed to leave her body.  
The expression that adorned Ruby's face could only be described as utterly hopeless. She had slumped down, arms around her torso, as she hugged herself for comfort, but still refused to let even a single tear escape her.  
Cinder was weirdly enough reminded of the illusion Ruby she had trained with almost a year ago and even then, that fake picture didn't even come close to the raw sorrow radiating from the young Huntress right now.

"...fine, I'll do it..."

It was barely audible, but it seemed to be enough for Salem, as she gazed at the girl contently.  
This was what it meant to have power over others.  
This was what Cinder craved so much.  
That finesse, that ability in which her master could bend everyone to her will.  
She wanted that!  
And she would get it.  
This had never been a fight Ruby could have won.

xxxxxxxxxx

"I believe this will be enough for today.  
You should rest now, Cinder."

Oh how Cinder had yearned to hear these words.  
Clinging to the sword she had run into the ground, she shifted her weight against it, trying to keep herself from collapsing. If the ache in her back had been nagging before it was now outright crippling, every heavy breath sending another wave of pain through her body.  
She had only managed a short nod, before Salem had taken her leave, removing her presence from both exhausted parties.  
Ruby for her part didn't look as done as Cinder, but she sure had no problem to drop to the ground after the master of Grimm had left, leaving them alone.  
Under normal circumstances, the maiden might have enjoyed taunting the silver eyed girl further, flaunting her success in her face, but the training had left her almost numb from the cold.  
Swaying a bit, she slowly made her way towards the exit.  
She wouldn't give herself the humiliation to collapse in front of Ruby of all people, when a small, tired voice called after her.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

It stopped Cinder dead in her tracks.   
She didn't need to ask what Ruby was referring to.  
She knew...but it didn't matter.  
Ceasing her halt she continued to walk on shaky feet, leaving without another word.

This was what she wanted!

###### 

Cinder didn't find reprieve in her room.  
Her cape was missing oddly enough, but she didn't have enough energy to really care about such an unimportant detail.  
She had lain down as soon as she had swapped her bandages and made sure her stab wound wasn't as irritated as it felt, but her mind wouldn't let her calm down.  
When was the last time she had endured something like this?  
If she didn't know better she would think she was getting sick. Exhausted she had propped herself against her pillows and began to gaze out the window.  
Not that there was much to see, but it gave her something to focus on beside the omnipresent cold.

"Have you settled down a bit?"

Cinder turned her head slowly.  
Salem appeared to have entered her room once more...  
Unsurprisingly.  
She always checked up on her after particularly harsh sessions, mostly to offer her chiding criticism or soft words of encouragement...it depended on how she performed.  
Nodding hesitantly, she watched as Salem glided through the room, only stopping short of the window, blocking Cinder's view outside, only giving the maiden a short, knowing glance.  
It really seemed as if she couldn't get a break.

"What is troubling you?"

'You, apparently, trying to kill me for starters!'

Yes, she was still hung up about that.  
But that wouldn't do her any good now. She was very much aware of what Salem wanted from her.  
Stomping her bitterness down, she scrambled out of her bed in a rather ungraceful manner, seeing as her limbs didn't listen to her in the way she wanted them too. Her movements were indisputably sluggish, as she padded through her chamber to stand behind her master.  
She had to give her something...Salem wouldn't accept anything but the truth from her, so she settled for the less defiant feelings, the ones that wouldn't get her in trouble hopefully.  
After all...she would never lie to her.

"I just..."  
Cinder trailed off, rubbing her left shoulder subconsciously.  
"This feels nothing like when I first obtained half of the maiden's power, it..."  
Her breathing stocked abruptly, as she tried to recall it.  
The coldness...  
The water...

"It's as if I'm constantly drowning...  
I can't seem to grasp this power."

'Do you even want to?'

"You obviously have some trouble to adjust to your newfound abilities.  
The power of destruction is not easy to master, least of all by humans that are weak of the mind."

She sounded almost wistfully, as she motioned for Cinder to stand next to her, allowing her to squeeze the maiden's shoulder gently.

"However you, my child, are not.  
You are right to question your powers, Cinder.  
You would be a fool not to."

When Salem finally turned around to face her, her eyes mustered her appraisingly.

"Your growth is truly commendable, but..."  
She paused, tilting her head to the side, her tone dropping.  
"I fear you might have forgotten what brought you to me in the first place."

"I have not!", Cinder responded urgently, probably even way too hasty, but the sudden panic that settled inside her stomach made her queasy and she was already so...burnt out. Her resistance against these unwanted feelings was entirely spent.  
"I know this is my destiny!  
I just..."  
She could feel the cold creeping up again, drawn to her inner turmoil, stifling the flames inside her.  
Her focus was lost, as her vision blurred and then she was dragged down under the surface, just like she had over and over again in her training session.  
She couldn't stop this...  
Why couldn't she stop this?

'I...'

"Want it to stop..."

Did she say that out loud?  
Her voice sounded so far away...so unlike her...so...lifeless?  
Cinder was only dimly aware of a pair of hands that tugged her forward, snapping her out of her stupor as she felt herself getting embraced.  
It certainly wasn't the first time Salem did this, but it was rare enough.  
So rare in fact that she didn't know how to react right now, remaining entirely unresponsive.  
It certainly helped her stay grounded...in a very roundabout way.  
Salem's heartbeat was soothing, almost lulling her to sleep.  
This...kind of felt...nice.  
Not that she needed it, but it was...she couldn't describe it.  
Her thoughts were a jumbled mess.   
She could feel herself nodding off, only to be roused again by Salem's soft, but firm voice.

"I know.  
But this is what it truly means to be powerful, Cinder."

She let one of her slender hands run through Cinder's, hair gently circling her hairline.

"Don't fight it.  
Learn to embrace it.  
And I promise you, how you feel right now will be nothing more than a bad dream, a relic of the past."

Something about this sounded somewhat peculiar to Cinder's ears, but she was too absorbed into the peacefulness the hug has granted her to really think about it, as she let herself sink forward some more, eliciting a soft chuckle from Salem.

"Now, I believe it is time for you to sleep", she said, lowering her voice to a whisper, "You have had quite a few tumultuous days and the ones coming are just as demanding."

She uncurled her arms and pushed lightly against Cinder's shoulders to steer her back to the bed.  
Cinder complied without further encouragement, the drowsiness muddling her senses, as she crawled back under the blankets.

"I do have another small gift for you though, something you might appreciate."

Venturing to the maiden's cupboard, she opened it and revealed the missing cape that had disappeared from her chair. The cut in the back was patched, but that wasn't the only thing different about it. Deep red lines were sewn into it now, connecting with each other, forming a crimson eye...the sign of destruction...Salem's crest.  
Blinking owlishly at her master, Cinder couldn't help but be in awe.  
How long had she wanted more respect from her teammates?  
How often had they belittled her, told her she was replaceable?  
This proved them wrong.  
Finally.  
And yet...she felt a bit hollow at the thought of wearing her improved cape.  
Then again, she was beyond tired at this point.

"Thank you", was all she seemed to manage, but it appeared to be enough to appease Salem, who gave her an almost loving smile in return, before excusing herself, letting Cinder drift of to sleep completely.

 

xxxxxxxxxx

You turned yourself into a monster just for power.

Cinder woke up with a scream, her heart racing, cold sweat glistening on her forehead, even though she felt impossibly cold...so cold that it began to sting...badly. Gripping her sheets tightly, she tried to calm herself, slowly easing out of bed and onto her feet, a wave of dizziness washing over her, as she wavered a bit, but ultimately regained her balance.  
Her eye landed on her cape, its new crest glowing ominously in the dark.  
This...was what she wanted...  
She could feel her heart pulse in her ears, making her nauseous.  
Thinking back on how Salem had been able to quell her emotions with a simple hug, she tried to recall it, how it felt to be held...how she had denied Emerald the very same comfort that she now needed for some reason, how sorrowful Neo's eyes had been...and how sharp her weapon and...

'...Emerald...  
...Mercury...  
...Neo...' 

Cinder ripped herself from the sight of the cape and practically ran out of her room. As if an invisible force dragged her along she found herself on her way to the dungeons.  
Ruby appeared to be still awake, staring miserably at the ceiling, tears running down her cheeks. Maybe her situation had only caught up with her now, but either way, Cinder didn't seem to be able to call upon her anger, her righteous vengeance upon seeing the girl, nor was she feeling superior or smug about her obvious pain.  
There was only the cold, breathing ice through her veins.  
Her breath stuttered, as Ruby tilted her head to the side and locked eyes with her.   
The girl didn't react to her presence other than that. She didn't speak up making an entitled claim, she didn't ask outrageous questions...she simply watched Cinder.

Doesn't it hurt?

"It does."

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again =)  
> So, a few people asked me to write a follow up to Fractures and I thought why not?   
> I might even do a third part, though first I want to finish the next chapter for my   
> actual ongoing RWBY ff.  
> Anyways, enjoy the ride ^^


End file.
